Their forced luna
Chapter 11

My wolf wasn't sold on this being a great idea. But I wouldn't be diverted. Even if I couldn't take out the worst one, if I got his beta, I would still call it a win.

The stable door creaked and I tiptoed over there. There were no animals inside, probably hard to keep them in this weather. But, there was still plenty of fresh straw piled around. I walked to one of the piles, moving the straw around, judging my chances when I spied a ladder out of the corner of my eye. I tilted my head back to study this new area. It was cramped, I would barely be able to fit up there, but there was no way in hell Javier would be able to squeeze into such a tiny area.

How much time had passed? I glanced over my shoulder. I hadn't heard him howl, the announcement of his hunt, but could the screaming wind have stolen it? I shivered and put my frozen toes on the first rung, pulling myself and the sheet behind me. I got to the top and squinted. It was going to be an even tighter fit than I'd thought. I scrambled up the last little bit and huddled in the eave, as far back as I could get without squeezing myself to death. It was a bit hard to breathe, but there was no way the wolf would be able to replace me up here, and even if he did, he couldn't reach me.

The win was mine.

What was even better, from this angle there was a tiny gush of air, and when I turned to replace it, I found a tiny hole that gave me a great view of the path leading up to my sanctuary. I even could see part of the entry of the castle. Once Javier started, I'd be able to see him, but there was no way he could see me.

How would he kill the beta? Would he tie him up and break his neck? Or would he do something far better? That man needed to suffer for what he'd done. I didn't want him to have an easy death and his Alpha? Oh, he needed to have the most painful death of all.

A flash out in the snow drew my ears. Scarlet hair that reminded me of blood. Hair I'd only seen on the head of one person, one monster. I was seeing things. He couldn't be here. The whole place was surrounded by some magic barrier.

Javier strode out of the castle naked as could be, and as a man. Odd, I'd have expected him to go after me like a wolf. No matter, I was going to win. If he wanted to handicap himself? So be it. Javier tilted his head back and screamed in what resembled a howl before insane laughter spilled from his lips. "I'm coming, Luna!" he yelled into the night.

He turned around, studying the landscape. I couldn't tell if he was trying to use his human scents, but he scanned every direction before taking off on a path that would lead him straight to me. He got several yards and crouched down, touching the snow with his bare hand and bringing it to his mouth where he licked at it. A smile blossomed across his face, and the monster traveled closer to me.

I held my breath, even though it was impossible for him to hear me from here. He wandered to the bushes, running a hand through them before cocking his head and staring up at the trees around him.

Thank Goddess I hadn't tried to hide there.

He turned his back on me and headed up the other path.

This was it. While he was wandering away I needed to get down and back to the castle.

This game was mine.